March 04, 2025
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Write Team: Bears fans welcome, Packers fans celebrated

By Rodney Verdine, Write Team

RODNEY VERDINE I grew up as one of five brothers in Wautoma, Wis. Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in criminal justice, emphasis in corrections. I recently retired after just short of 38 years with the 13th Judicial Circuit. I followed my wife to Ottawa. She was an engineer at IDOT, now retired. My love of writing is mainly with the Write Team. I am often asked when I will be in the paper again between times on the Write Team and complimented on columns that I have written. I first wrote for the Team many years ago, however most times after my mandatory six months off between being on a team, I still feel there is something I would like the public to know. I hope to share my “wisdom,” or at least, recent experiences with exploring retirement in a few columns, as I have noticed retirement is often a difficult adjustment for men in our society.

Football season is over, but it seems I find myself writing about the Chicago Bears more and more.

As a Packer fan, that could be disturbing. First though a Packer edge – when I stopped in during the viewing time (I call a wake) before the funeral for the wife of a very good man from my past; he informed me that Packer jackets were ahead 2-0 over Bears jackets among those who had attended at that time.

Now to the Bears. At the end of the church service at First Baptist of Ottawa, a member of our praise band announced that as an encouragement to pack the church for upcoming baptisms on March 9 and 23, our pastor Alex Cross agreed to dress up as Mike Ditka if there were 150 people in attendance at both baptisms. Alex is a die-hard Packer fan, like me. This probably a result of both of us growing up in Wisconsin (or as I like to call it, God’s country) through our teenage years.

No need to fear you Bears fans: there probably are more Bear fans in our church than Packer fans, in case you want to get in on the action and try to “stick it to a Packer fan.”

Recently, when I went to a drive-thru to pick up a pizza, the young man at the window noticed my Packer jacket and told me to “Bear Down” after handing me my order. He did it in a good-mannered joking way, and even apologized. I told him there was no need to apologize as I thought it was kind of funny. Son, you are welcome at our church any time, baptisms or not.

So many times in Ottawa various people have complimented me on some piece of clothing I am wearing that celebrates the Packers, especially my colorful coats and jacket. Elsewhere, my coat started a fairly long conversation at a Rockford fast-food restaurant. A man stopped by and shared that he was a Bear fan, and could remember when the Bears had dominated the rivalry many years ago. Each of us shared about great players on the others team. I cannot remember a more enjoyable conversation about football.

It is strange, in this time where so often differences of opinion are the start of conflicts and negative comments; I find fewer Bears fans acting negatively toward me because I am a Packer fan than in the past. Maybe Green Bay’s loss to the Bears after such a long streak of winning has calmed the fans souls. Or maybe, in person people are becoming kinder, while on social media they are releasing all their anger.

I realize it is more likely that the nicer people are out meeting people in public and speaking nicely to them. Or is it just my cane again? In the spirit of kindness, I cannot tell you how happy I was that Steve McMichael was elected to the Hall of Fame while still alive.

  • Rodney Verdine is retired as the assistant director at the La Salle County Detention Home, but also had been a probation officer. He can be reached at newsroom@mywebtimes.com
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